Building Sustainable Cities Through TOD
This analysis, drawing from the article “How to Enable Transit Oriented Development” by Radha Chanchani and Jaya Dhindaw in The Hindu (September 24, 2024), emphasises that efficient transport systems improve urban life by increasing job access, reducing pollution, and boosting the economy, while overcoming issues like traffic and unsafe public transport necessitates investments in metro systems and Transit-Oriented Development for creating sustainable and productive cities.
Introduction
Transport infrastructure plays a crucial role in shaping cities and how people live, work, and move. Roads, buses, trains, and other forms of transportation connect different parts of cities, making it easier for people to reach their workplaces, schools, and other important places. When transportation systems work well, cities become more liveable, productive, and efficient. However, in many cities, transportation problems, like traffic jams, overcrowded public transport, and poor connectivity, make life difficult for people and can hurt the economy. This essay explains why improving transportation infrastructure can make cities better places to live and how TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) is a key to building sustainable and inclusive urban environments.
Why Good Transport Matters in Cities
Transport systems are like the veins of a city, helping people travel from one place to another. These include roads, buses, and trains, which make it easier for people to go to work, school, or shopping centres. When these systems work well, cities become more productive because people can reach their destinations quickly and easily. For businesses, good transportation means that workers arrive on time, helping things run smoothly.
But not all cities have good transport systems. Many cities have big challenges that make it hard for people to get around. Traffic jams, crowded buses, and long trips are just some of the problems. When transportation is difficult, it makes life in the city stressful and less enjoyable.
One city that has many transport issues is Bengaluru in India. Every day, people in Bengaluru experience traffic jams that make it hard to move around the city. Public transportation, like buses, often does not reach where people live, forcing them to use cars. This leads to more traffic and pollution, making the city even more difficult to navigate.
The Problem with Traffic in Cities
Bengaluru is a large city with many transportation challenges. One of the biggest problems is that many jobs are far from where people live. In fact, only 28% of jobs in Bengaluru are located close to metro stations. This means that most people have to rely on cars or buses to get to work. When more people use their cars, traffic jams increase, and so does air pollution. Bengaluru loses about ₹20,000 crore every year because of these traffic jams.
Traffic not only wastes time but also makes the air dirty, which affects people’s health. When there are more cars on the road, the city becomes more polluted, making it harder to breathe clean air. This is one of the biggest problems that cities like Bengaluru face.
Moving Businesses to the Suburbs
In many cities, companies are moving their offices to the suburbs, where land is cheaper. This helps businesses save money, but it creates new problems for workers. Suburbs are often far from the city centre and public transportation does not always reach these new areas. This forces workers to drive longer distances to reach their jobs, leading to more traffic jams and more pollution.
Moving businesses to the suburbs also hurts the environment in other ways. It takes away green spaces, which are important for keeping cities healthy. Green spaces help clean the air and provide areas for animals to live. But when businesses build in these areas, it fragments habitats and reduces the number of trees, making cities less environmentally friendly.
India’s Solution: Metro Rail Projects
To solve some of these transportation problems, India is investing a lot of money into public transport, especially metro rail projects. Between 2022 and 2027, the government plans to spend ₹3 trillion on building metro systems. Metro systems can help reduce traffic because they give people a faster and cleaner way to travel across the city. Instead of driving, people can use the metro to get to work or school, which reduces the number of cars on the road and helps improve air quality.
However, just having metro systems is not enough. Metro stations need to be connected to other forms of transport, like buses, bicycles, or walking paths. This is important because after getting off the metro, people still need to travel the “last mile” to their homes or jobs. If this last mile is hard to travel, people might still rely on cars, which defeats the purpose of building the metro.
How Poor Transport Affects People
When transport systems do not work well, they have a direct impact on people’s lives. Long commutes can take away valuable time that people could spend with their families. Spending hours stuck in traffic every day can cause stress and make people feel tired before they even start work.
In some cities, like Delhi, public transport can be unsafe. Women, in particular, may feel uncomfortable or even face harassment while using buses or trains. This discourages many people from using public transport and forces them to use cars, which adds to traffic problems.
In Ahmedabad, many people choose not to use public transport because the bus stops are too far from their homes. If people cannot easily reach a bus stop, they are more likely to use private cars, adding to the traffic jams and air pollution.
Transport and Economic Growth
Good transport systems are not only important for helping people get around but are also vital for a city’s economy. When workers can easily travel to their jobs, businesses can operate more efficiently. In cities like Kanpur, better transportation could help bring in more businesses and create new job opportunities.
Another smart approach to improving transportation is called Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). TOD focuses on building homes and businesses close to metro stations or bus stops so that people can live, work, and shop nearby. This reduces the need for cars, lowers traffic, and makes life easier. When people live close to their jobs and have access to good public transport, cities become more organised, and the economy benefits.
Learning from Other Countries
India can learn from other countries that have successfully used TOD to solve urban transport problems. For example, China has used TOD in many of its cities to help manage traffic, especially in smaller cities where public transport is still being developed.
However, India faces unique challenges when trying to apply TOD models from countries like the United States. In Western countries, TOD is used to reduce suburban sprawl and lower the number of cars on the road. But in India, TOD must focus on connecting public transport users with buses, bicycles, and walking paths. Additionally, informal modes of transport like auto-rickshaws play a big role in helping people get around in Indian cities, so TOD must take these into account.
Bengaluru’s Metro: Challenges and Solutions
Bengaluru’s metro system is expanding, but it still faces some challenges. Many jobs in the city are far from metro stations, meaning people still have to rely on cars or buses to complete their journey. While businesses near metro stations benefit from easy access for employees and customers, high property prices in these areas prevent some companies from relocating there.
One way to solve this problem is by expanding TOD to include more flexible transport options. For example, adding more buses, bicycles, and walking paths would make it easier for people to complete their journey and reduce the number of cars on the road. By improving connectivity between different transport options, cities like Bengaluru can encourage more people to use public transport.
How Cities Can Improve Transport
To improve transport systems in cities, many solutions are needed. One important solution is to expand public transport options like metro systems and buses. Public transport can carry many people at once, reducing the number of cars on the road. However, for public transport to work well, it needs to be affordable and easy to use.
Another solution is improving first and last-mile connectivity. This means making sure people can easily get to and from transport hubs like metro stations or bus stops. Cities can build better sidewalks, bike lanes, and street lighting to make it safer and easier for people to travel the last part of their journey.
It is also important to make transport safe for everyone, including women, children, and people with disabilities. Cities can install better lighting, security cameras, and accessible infrastructure to ensure that public transport is safe and welcoming for everyone.
Conclusion: Making Cities Better with Good Transport
Transport systems are essential for cities to function well. They help people reach their jobs, reduce traffic, and cut down on pollution. However, many cities struggle with traffic jams, long commutes, and unsafe public transport. By investing in metro systems, improving last-mile connectivity, and using smart solutions like Transit-Oriented Development, cities can create better transport systems that make life easier for everyone. Improving transport should be a priority for cities that want to grow in a way that is sustainable, productive, and inclusive.
